Biometric collection device

ABSTRACT

A method performed by a biometric collection device, including: conveying a waiting signal to a user of the biometric collection device in response to the biometric collection device being waiting for at least one finger to be placed on the biometric collection device; capturing a flat fingerprint or a rolled finger print of the finger; and conveying a result signal to the user in response to the biometric collection device succeeding in or failing in capturing the flat fingerprint or the rolled finger print of the finger, wherein the waiting signal differs from the result signal in at least a length of lighting or a color.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a biometric collection device and, moreparticularly, to signals used by such a device.

BACKGROUND

Portions of human skin include uniquely-contoured friction ridges thatare used to identify a particular person. For instance, the frictionridges on a finger are often referred to as a fingerprint while those ona hand can be called a palm print. The friction ridges can be capturedas an image and later used as a reference for matching asubsequently-gathered fingerprint or palm print. In the past, the imageof the friction ridges could be created by inking a person's hand orpalm and then carefully pressing the ink against a paper surface.

However, modern electronics can now create images of the friction ridgeswithout paper. Fingerprint scanners receive a person's finger against asurface and create an image of the friction ridges on the finger usingmodem electronics to thereby capture a fingerprint image. To capturesuch an image, the fingerprint scanner may need the finger to bepositioned relative to the surface in a particular way and according toparticular timing. For instance, the fingerprint scanner may be in astandby state and before it can begin capturing fingerprint images thefingerprint scanner must be transitioned to a ready state. However, notall users of fingerprint scanners may readily understand the timing andfinger positioning used to successfully capture fingerprint images. Andfingerprint scanners may not be accompanied with instructions that auser understands. So it would be helpful to visually communicateinstructions or device status to users of fingerprint scanners in a waythat transcends language and might not include consulting an owner'smanual or other technical instructions.

SUMMARY

According to an embodiment, there is provided a method of providing cuesto a biometric collection device user. The method includes activating afirst signal when a biometric collection device is ready to capture afingerprint image; activating a second signal when the biometriccollection device begins capturing the fingerprint image; and activatinga third signal when the biometric collection device successfullycaptures the fingerprint image.

According to another embodiment, there is provided a method of providingcues to a biometric collection device user. The method includesactivating a first visual signal that identifies a particular finger tobe captured; activating a second visual signal when a biometriccollection device is ready to capture a fingerprint image of theparticular finger; activating a third visual signal when the fingerprintscanner successfully captures the fingerprint image of the particularfinger; and activating the first signal that identifies a differentfinger to be captured.

According to yet another embodiment, there is provided a biometriccollection device that includes a housing and a fingerprint sensor. Thebiometric collection device provides signals to a user by activating afirst signal when the biometric collection device is ready to capture afingerprint image from the fingerprint sensor, activates a second signalwhen the biometric collection device begins capturing the fingerprintimage, and activates a third signal when the biometric collection devicesuccessfully captures the fingerprint image.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be describedin conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designationsdenote like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an embodiment of a biometriccollection device; and

FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting an embodiment of a method of providingvisual cues to a biometric collection device user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The biometric collection device described below may include afingerprint scanner and an interface that can communicate the status ofthe fingerprint scanner as well as inform the user whether images offingerprints have been successfully captured. A visual display is oneexample of an interface that can be included with the fingerprintscanner. The visual display can illuminate one or more lights usingdifferent colors, intensities, pulse frequencies, or both. Through theabsence or presence of light, intensity of light, choice of color,and/or frequency with which the light is periodically lit, the visualdisplay can communicate with the user of the fingerprint scanner.

Turning to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of a fingerprint scanner 10is shown. The fingerprint scanner 10 depicted in FIG. 1 is generally ahandheld device carried by a user who can place one or more fingersagainst a surface of the scanner 10 and create an image of a person'sfingerprint(s). The user generally holds the fingerprint scanner 10 andanother person can place their fingers on a fingerprint sensor. Thisarrangement can be visualized by way of an example involving a policeofficer (e.g., a user) who captures images of fingerprints from asuspected criminal (e.g., another person). While the embodiment depictedin FIG. 1 is described with respect to a handheld fingerprint scanner,it should be appreciated that the interface or visual display describedherein can be used with differently implemented fingerprint scanners,including those that are not handheld.

The fingerprint scanner 10 shown in FIG. 1 can include a fingerprintsensor 12, a visual display 14, and one or more user inputs 16 thatcontrol the fingerprint scanner 10. A housing 18 can enclose hardwareused to implement the fingerprint scanner 10 while supporting both thevisual display 14 and the user inputs 16. In addition, the housing 18can provide sufficient structure allowing a user to hold the fingerprintscanner 10. In some implementations, the fingerprint scanner 10 can alsoinclude a card reader 19 that receives a card and obtains information ordata embedded in the card.

The fingerprint sensor 12 includes a surface 20 on which at least aportion of one or more fingers may be placed to permit an image of thefingerprint(s) or other identifying region of those fingers to becaptured. One or more fingers can be placed in contact with the surface20 of the fingerprint sensor 12 and an image of the fingerprints can beobtained. The fingerprint sensor 12 can generate images of thefingerprints in various ways. For example, the fingerprint sensor 12 canuse a thin-film transistor (TFT) that generates fingerprint images fromboth flat captures as well as rolled captures. A flat capture caninvolve a user placing one or more fingers in static contact with thesurface 20 of the fingerprint sensor 12. The fingerprint scanner 10 canthen capture an image of the fingerprints of those fingers as theyremain motionless (or nearly so) and in contact with the surface 20.Alternatively, the fingerprint sensor 12 can use a rolled capture inwhich an edge or a side of a finger is initially placed in contact withthe surface 20 of the fingerprint sensor 12 and during the image capturethe finger is rotated from one edge or side of the finger to an oppositeside or edge of the finger thereby exposing the fingerprint to thesurface 20 of the fingerprint sensor 12. While the fingerprint sensor 12in this embodiment is described with respect to the function of acapacitive film such as the TFT, it should be understood that thefingerprint sensor 12 can use different technologies for capturingfingerprint images. For example, an optical sensor could be used tocapture an image of a fingerprint.

The visual display 14 includes a plurality of lights that can generateone or more colors and through illumination and color selectioncommunicate information to the user of the fingerprint scanner 10. Inthis embodiment, the visual display 14 includes a battery levelindicator 22, a flat scan/roll scan indicator 24, a wireless local areanetwork (WLAN) indicator 26, and one or more finger indicators 28 asshown within the segmented line in FIG. 1. Each of these indicators caninclude one or more lights at least some of which may generate one ormore colors when illuminated. In addition, the lights of the indicatorscan be intermittently illuminated such that the lights flash or pulseperiodically. Changes in the frequency with which the lightsperiodically illuminate or flash can convey information to the user. Inthis example, the fingerprint scanner 10 can use light-emitting diodes(LEDs) to implement its indicator lights. However, the present systemand method can also be used with incandescent bulbs as well. The batterylevel indicator 22 can indicate how much charge is remaining in thebattery that supplies voltage to the fingerprint scanner 10. The flatscan/roll scan indicator 24 can include a plurality of lights thatcommunicate to the user whether the scanner 10 is set to obtain a flatcapture or a roll capture. Some fingerprint scanners 10 are equippedwith an antenna and short-range wireless communication capability, suchas those defined by IEEE 802.11 standards, that can establishshort-range wireless communication links between the fingerprint scanner10 and another nearby computer, such as a personal computer (PC), mobilephone or other device. The WLAN indicator 26 can display the existenceof a short-range wireless link with another computer or device. Thefingerprint scanner 10 can wirelessly send fingerprint images to anotherdevice via the short-range wireless link.

The visual display 14 can include a finger indicator 28 that maycomprise a plurality of lights. In one implementation, the fingerindicator 28 can depict five fingers for each hand of a person andinclude an individual light for each finger of the hand. As thefingerprint scanner 10 generates a fingerprint image for each finger ona hand, the scanner 10 can communicate progress for each finger usingthe individual lights of the finger indicator 28. More specifically, thefinger indicator 28 can depict a left hand 30 and a right hand 32 eachof which includes a thumb light 34, 36, an index finger light 38, 40, amiddle finger light 42, 44, a ring finger light 46, 48, and a pinkyfinger light 50, 52. Each individual light can generate light in one ormore than one color to indicate a status of the fingerprint scanner 10.FIG. 1 depicts the outline of the left hand 30 and the right hand 32shown in a “palm down” orientation with the fingers pointing away fromthe fingerprint sensor 12 as this mimics the position of a hand as it isscanned by the fingerprint scanner 12. In addition to color, theindividual lights can pulse light at varying rates of speed and in someimplementations may instead or also vary in intensity. A different rateof pulse with or without a color change can indicate different stages offingerprint image capture. An example of this will be discussed in moredetail below.

The user inputs 16 are selectable buttons, switches, or the like thatcontrol the operation of the fingerprint scanner 10. The user of thefingerprint scanner 10 can touch or depress an area of the housing 18,such as a momentary switch, that communicates a selection. In thisimplementation, the user inputs 16 of the fingerprint scanner 10 includea scan function 54, a new person function 56, a skip finger function 58,and a power function 60 that allows the user to turn the scanner 10 onand off. The scan function 54 can allow the user to direct thefingerprint scanner 10 to begin the process of scanning a fingerprintwhile the new person function 56 can inform the fingerprint scanner 10that fingerprints for a new person are to be captured. The skip fingerfunction 58 can alert the fingerprint scanner 10 that one or morefingers will not be scanned. For instance, the fingerprint scanner 10can expect to capture images of all ten fingerprints of a personstarting with the right hand, moving from thumb to pinky, and thencontinuing in a similar way with the left hand. However, a user may wantto only record the thumb and middle finger of the right hand. In thatevent, the user can begin scanning by selecting the scan function 54.After successfully capturing an image of the thumb, the fingerprintscanner 10 may expect to next capture the index finger of the righthand. The user can then skip capturing of the index fingerprint byselecting the skip finger function 58 and proceed to capture thefingerprint of the middle finger of the right hand. The functions caneach be associated with a separate momentary switch, such as a button,that communicates a user selection to an central processing unit (CPU)located in the housing 18. The fingerprint scanner 10 could use avariety of different CPUs and communication busses to receive input andgenerate fingerprint images. One example of the CPU is the SAMA5D3microprocessor manufactured by Atmel.

The card reader 19 can be implemented using a magnetic card readercapable of reading data-encoded magnetic tape affixed to cards. When auser inserts a pocket-sized card with magnetic tape into a slot used bythe reader 19 for receiving such cards, an electric signal can beinduced by the movement of the magnetic tape across a sensor used by thecard reader 19. The electric signal reflects the data stored in thecard. In one implementation, the card reader 19 can be implemented usinga Mag Tek 21030028 card reader. While the card reader 19 described withregard to FIG. 1 uses magnetic tape sensors, the reader 19 could beimplemented using different technologies, such as those used byintegrated circuit cards (ICC) or “smart cards.”

The housing 18 provides a structure for carrying the fingerprint sensor12, the visual display 14, the user inputs 16, and the card reader 19while protecting the internal electronic hardware used to carry outfunctionality of the fingerprint scanner 10. Each of the fingerprintsensor 12, the visual display 14, the user inputs 16, and the cardreader 19 include an outwardly-facing portion that the user sees andinteracts with on an outside surface of the housing 18. These elementscan also include an inwardly-facing portion that can be concealed by thehousing 18 and protected from the touch of a user or any otherenvironmental exposure. The housing 18 can be made from a wide varietyof relatively rigid materials, usually a plastic but the housing 18could alternatively be formed from metal 18. One commercially-availableimplementation of the fingerprint scanner 10 capable of implementing thevisual display 14 and method disclosed herein is the NeoScan 45 producedby the NEC Corporation of America.

Turning to FIG. 2, a flow chart is shown depicting one embodiment of amethod 200 of providing visual cues to a biometric collection deviceuser. As a user of the fingerprint scanner 10 proceeds to scan eachfinger of a person's hands, the user can place each finger of each handin contact with the fingerprint sensor 12. The fingerprint scanner 10can then sequentially capture images of the fingerprints one (or morethan one) at a time until images of all fingerprints for a person havebeen generated and recorded. The fingerprint scanner 10 can guide theuser through the use of the fingerprint scanner 10 using a variety ofsignals that may take a visual, audible, and/or tactile form.

The method 200 begins at step 210 by activating a first signal when thefingerprint scanner 10 is ready to capture a fingerprint image. A signalfirst, second, third, or otherwise can be generated in a unique formthat indicates a particular state of the fingerprint scanner 10, such asits readiness to capture fingerprint images. For instance, the signalcan be visual in the form of a light having a particular color,intensity, and/or pulse rate. Or the signal can be audible in the formof a unique sound. The unique sound can have a particular tone that isdefined by a pitch, duration, intensity, or pulse rate. In addition, thesignal could be tactile such that a user can detect the signal throughfeel. For example, the fingerprint scanner 10 can use an oscillatingdevice that vibrates when activated. The tactile signal can vary inintensity, pulse rate, and/or length to generate a unique signal. Thesignal can be made unique by choosing from the visual, audible, and/ortactile forms and creating a particular signal understood by the user tobe different from other signals the user may receive. With respect toFIG. 2, the signals will be described as visual signals in the form of alight displaying particular colors and/or pulse rates on the visualdisplay 14. A unique signal can be created using a color of a light, theabsence/presence/pulsing of the light, a variation in intensity oflight, and/or a variation in the rate at which the light pulses. But itshould be understood that other types of signals can be used by thefingerprint scanner 10 in accordance with the steps described below. Themethod 200 described below involves one possible sequence of lightcolors, absence/presence of pulses, and pulse rate.

In at least one implementation, when the fingerprint scanner 10 is instandby mode ready to begin the process of capturing fingerprint imagesfor each finger, the scanner 10 can constantly or intermittentlyactivate a light using a first color as a first signal. The fingerindicator 28 of the visual display 14 can identify which fingerprint thefingerprint scanner 10 will capture by illuminating the lightcorresponding to that finger in red. For instance, the right hand thumblight 36 can be illuminated constantly at first indicating that thethumb print has yet to be captured. Later, the thumb light 36 can bepulsed using the color red. The intermittent or pulsing activation ofthe light 36 in red can convey to the user that the fingerprint scanner10 is ready to capture fingerprint images. The user can then press thescan function to begin the scanning process. In this implementation, thevisual display 14 can pulse light according to one of three selectedrates: slow, medium, and fast. While the slow, medium, and fast ratescould have a variety of different relative rates attributed to them, oneexemplary implementation can use rates of 0.5 seconds, 0.25 seconds, and0.1 seconds, respectively. These raters refer to the length of time thelight is illuminated followed by the length of time the light is notilluminated. For example, the slow rate would involve 0.5 seconds ofillumination and then 0.5 seconds of non-illumination. Of course, otherintervals, including uneven intervals may be used as desired. The method200 proceeds to step 220.

At step 220, a second signal is activated when the fingerprint scannerbegins capturing a fingerprint image. In this embodiment, a lightdisplaying a second color can be intermittently activated when thefingerprint scanner begins capturing a fingerprint image. The fingerindicator 28 in this example, the right thumb light 36 can begindisplaying or illuminating a yellow light that confirms that thefingerprint scanner 10 is waiting for a finger to be placed on thesurface 20 of the fingerprint sensor 12. Once the fingerprint sensor 12detects the presence of a finger, the thumb light 36 can begin pulsingthe yellow light at a slow rate to indicate that the fingerprint scanner10 detects a finger is in contact with the surface 20 of the fingerprintscanner 12. Depending on whether the fingerprint scanner performs a flatcapture or a rolling capture, the yellow light can pulse in differentways. During a flat capture, the yellow light can pulse at the slow rateto indicate both that the fingerprint sensor 12 is in contact with afinger and that the fingerprint scanner 10 is presently capturing afingerprint image. With respect to a roll capture, the fingerprintscanner 10 can pulse the yellow light at a slow rate to indicate thatthe fingerprint sensor 12 is in contact with the finger and at a fast ormedium rate to indicate that the finger and fingerprint need to berotated to contact the fingerprint sensor 12 and the fingerprint sensor10 is presently capturing the fingerprint. The method 200 proceeds tostep 230.

At step 230, the fingerprint scanner 10 can activate a third signal whenthe fingerprint scanner 10 successfully captures the fingerprint image.In this embodiment, the fingerprint scanner 10 can continuously activatea light using a third color when the scanner 10 successfully capturesthe fingerprint image. Once the fingerprint scanner 10 determines thatit has captured an image of the fingerprint, it can illuminate a solidgreen light. The green light can be generated by the same light thatproduced the yellow light and/or the red light; or it could be aseparate light. Using the example discussed above, the thumb light 36can stop generating the yellow light and transition to aconstantly-illuminated green light to convey that the fingerprintimage—in this case the fingerprint image of the right thumb—has beencaptured. While the right thumb light 36 may be green, other lightsrepresenting other fingers that have not be processed to capturefingerprint images can be illuminated by a solid red light. The method200 proceeds to step 240.

At step 240, the fingerprint scanner 10 can determine if otherfingerprint images should be captured. Continuing the example begunabove, once the visual display 14 generates a third signal, thefingerprint scanner 10 can standby to capture the other ninefingerprints of a person. The fingerprint scanner 10 can once againgenerate the first signal to indicate that a different finger will bescanned next. For instance, the visual display 14 can next pulse theindex finger light 40 of the right hand in red to indicate that thefingerprint scanner 10 is ready to capture the right index finger. Ifthe user of the fingerprint scanner 10 would like to generate an imageof the right index finger, steps 210-230 can be repeated for the rightindex finger and the progress of capturing the fingerprint of the rightindex finger can be indicated with the right index finger light 40. Inthat way, steps 210-230 can be repeated for each of the remainingfingers on both hands until fingerprint images for all of the fingers onboth hands are captured. At that time, the finger indicator 28 canconstantly or solidly illuminate ten green lights for lights 34-52.Alternatively, the user can choose to selectively capture only a portionof a person's fingerprints by using the skip finger function 58 of theuser inputs 16. The method 200 then ends.

It is to be understood that the foregoing is a description of one ormore embodiments of the invention. The invention is not limited to theparticular embodiment(s) disclosed herein, but rather is defined solelyby the claims below. Furthermore, the statements contained in theforegoing description relate to particular embodiments and are not to beconstrued as limitations on the scope of the invention or on thedefinition of terms used in the claims, except where a term or phrase isexpressly defined above. Various other embodiments and various changesand modifications to the disclosed embodiment(s) will become apparent tothose skilled in the art. All such other embodiments, changes, andmodifications are intended to come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

As used in this specification and claims, the terms “e.g.,” “forexample,” “for instance,” “such as,” and “like,” and the verbs“comprising,” “having,” “including,” and their other verb forms, whenused in conjunction with a listing of one or more components or otheritems, are each to be construed as open-ended, meaning that the listingis not to be considered as excluding other, additional components oritems. Other terms are to be construed using their broadest reasonablemeaning unless they are used in a context that requires a differentinterpretation.

1. A method performed by a biometric collection device, comprising:conveying a waiting signal to a user of the biometric collection devicein response to the biometric collection device being waiting for atleast one finger to be placed on the biometric collection device;capturing a flat fingerprint or a rolled finger print of the finger; andconveying a result signal to the user in response to the biometriccollection device succeeding in or failing in capturing the flatfingerprint or the rolled finger print of the finger, wherein thewaiting signal differs from the result signal in at least a length oflighting or a color.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:conveying another waiting signal to a user of the biometric collectiondevice in response to the biometric collection device being waiting foranother finger to be placed on the biometric collection device after theresult signal indicates a success of capturing.
 3. The method of claim1, further comprising: conveying a capturing signal to the user inresponse to the biometric collection device being capturing the flatfingerprint or the rolled finger print of the finger, wherein thewaiting signal differs from the capturing signal in at least a length oflighting or a color.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the capturingsignal in capturing the flat fingerprint differs from the capturingsignal in capturing the rolled fingerprint in at least a length oflighting or a color.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the waitingsignal and the result signal further include an audible signal or atactile signal.
 6. A biometric collection device, comprising: a housing;and a fingerprint sensor, wherein the biometric collection device isconfigured to: convey a waiting signal to a user of the biometriccollection device in response to the biometric collection device beingwaiting for at least one finger to be placed on the biometric collectiondevice; capture a flat fingerprint or a rolled finger print of thefinger; and convey a result signal to the user in response to thebiometric collection device succeeding in or failing in capturing theflat fingerprint or the rolled finger print of the finger, wherein thewaiting signal differs from the result signal in at least a length oflighting or a color.
 7. The biometric collection device of claim 6,further configured to: convey another waiting signal to a user of thebiometric collection device in response to the biometric collectiondevice being waiting for another finger to be placed on the biometriccollection device after the result signal indicates a success ofcapturing.
 8. The biometric collection device of claim 6, furtherconfigured to: convey a capturing signal to the user in response to thebiometric collection device being capturing the flat fingerprint or therolled finger print of the finger, wherein the waiting signal differsfrom the capturing signal in at least a length of lighting or a color.9. The biometric collection device of claim 8, wherein the capturingsignal in capturing the flat fingerprint differs from the capturingsignal in capturing the rolled fingerprint in at least a length oflighting or a color.
 10. The biometric collection device of claim 6,wherein the waiting signal and the result signal further include anaudible signal or a tactile signal.